Traditional Cuban cuisine: dishes and recipes

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Cuban cuisine has appeared, of course, in Cuba. It arose under the influence of the gastronomic principles of other states. Cuban cuisine has elements of Creole, African and Spanish cuisine.

Festivals are held annually. They gather gourmets and chefs who are familiar with Cuban cuisine, its recipes.

Popular products

For cooking here they use:

• beef;
• mutton;
• bird;
• milk powder;
• pork;
• ocean fish;
• black beans;
• coconut oil and milk;
• bananas;
• seafood (shrimp and lobster);
• sweet potato;
• cassava root;
• rice;
• fruits (oranges, grapes, guava, apples and others);
• spices and seasonings;
• vegetables (cabbage, onions, garlic, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers and others).

Regional Cuisine

As in many states, zoning takes place in Cuba. In the western and central part of the country, coconut is often used, as well as chocolate. Fried here in coconut oil or milk. ATIn the eastern regions of the country, spicy and spicy dishes are often prepared.

Popular dishes

What dishes should you try for those who are interested in Cuban cuisine? Of course, the most popular. It is them that we will now consider them:

• Pie with oranges, pumpkin and coconut.
• Majiaco. This is a popular dish in the country. What is such a meal? This is grilled or stewed meat with vegetables in a pot. No meal is complete without this dish.
• Roasted suckling pig (Lechon asado).
• Fried pork.
• Chicken stew with carrots, onions, potatoes, ham and other optional ingredients. The dish is called Caldosa.
• Tostones (fried bananas).
• Avocado and pineapple salad.
• Ground beef with tomato sauce.
• Guava Pie.
• Cuban sandwich.
• Rice with black beans and other Cuban dishes.

Drinks

Popular drinks are:

• various cocktails (eg mojito, daiquiri and others);
• rum;
• coffee (strong);
• beer;
• guarapo (the basis of the drink is cane sugar);
• lemonade with lime.

Sauces

Cuban cuisine is quite interesting and the recipes are simple. Sauces are popular here. There are a lot of them in Cuban cuisine. They are part of the local cuisine. The favorite sauce of Cubans, which is made from peppers, garlic and tomatoes, is called Mojo. The second most popular is Salsa criolla. This saucemade with peppers, oil, onions and tomatoes.

Some dressings even contain fruits such as mangoes.

Cuban Sandwich

If you are interested in Cuban cuisine, a photo of some dishes is presented for clarity in the article. Do you want to cook one of the dishes? Then pay attention to it. It's called the Cuban sandwich.

For cooking you will need:

• four pieces of Swiss cheese (about one hundred grams) and the same number of long buns;
• s alt;
• tbsp each of red wine vinegar and olive oil;
• a jar of pickled peppers and a jar of pickled cucumbers;
• one head (chopped) shallots;
• three tablespoons of sour cream or mayonnaise;
• half a glass of rum.
• ¼ cup Creole mustard;
• red cabbage (sliced quarter head).

To grill pork you will need:

• 4 each peppercorns and garlic clove (crushed);
• two pieces of pork (each about 350 grams);
• s alt;
• ground black pepper;
• light brown sugar (2 tbsp);
• olive oil (1 tbsp.);
• half a glass of dark rum;
• 2.5 cm piece of ginger (cut or grated).

Sandwich making process

1. First make the brine. To do this, pour one and a half glasses of water into the pan, put sugar, garlic,ginger and three tablespoons of s alt. Stir. Bring to a boil. Then remove from heat. Add rum. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
2. Then take a bowl and place the meat in it. Pour in the resulting brine. Cover with a lid. Refrigerate for an hour (or longer).
3. Make a salad. Soak shallots in cold water for five minutes. Then mix the cabbage, onion and s alt (1.5 tsp) in a colander. Leave it like that for thirty minutes or an hour. This is necessary in order to stack the juice. Then wash and dry the cabbage. Place in a large bowl, stir in vinegar and oil. S alt.
4. Preheat the grill.
5. Dry the tenderloin. Brush with oil and sprinkle with pepper.
6. Grill. Flip if necessary. Cook to strips on each side (one takes about eight minutes). How to check readiness? Insert a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. If it shows more than 63 degrees, then you can proceed to the next step. Namely: place the tenderloin on a cutting board, leave for five minutes, then cut.



7. Grill the buns.
8. Spread the bottom half of each with mustard and mayonnaise.
9. Place cheese on top, melt slightly.
10. Cut the meat into thin slices. Put on bread along with pickled cucumbers, peppers and lettuce. Then he can serve the dish.

Piccadilla

Are you interested in Cuban cuisine? Then for more acquaintance with herWe offer you one more meal. The dish is called very interesting - picadilla.

For cooking you will need:

• 10 cherry tomatoes (sliced);
• 1/3 cup each of wine (white), tomato paste, pimento-stuffed olives with pickle (1 tbsp.) and raisins;
• two bay leaves;
• 2 tsp dried oregano, cayenne pepper and ground cumin;
• 450 grams beef chorizo;
• 2 tbsp. l. oil (olive);
• large chopped onion;
• 4 garlic cloves (chopped);
• s alt;
• ground black pepper.

Cooking process

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add garlic, bay leaves and onions. Saute until the onion is soft, about four minutes. Stir constantly during the process.
2. Then add minced meat, fry. When the meat is browned, remove from heat, remove excess fat.
3. Then pour in the wine. Stir. Add tomato paste, stuffed olives (chopped), cherry halves, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper. Simmer over low heat for eight minutes. Stir constantly. Season with s alt and pepper before serving.

Salad

Continuing to consider Cuban dishes, describe recipes, and tell about a delicious pineapple and avocado salad. This dish is a traditional snack that is quick and easy to prepare.

For cooking you will need:

• pineapple (kilogram);
• two avocados;
• three cloves of garlic;
• two bunches of watercresslettuce;
• one red onion;
• tablespoon of sugar;
• a quarter cup of oil (olive);
• a pinch of ground cumin;
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• a quarter teaspoon ground black pepper;
• s alt (one teaspoon).

Cooking

1. Wash the watercress. Remove unwanted leaves. Dry. Refrigerate.
2. Peel the skin off the pineapple. Cut the pulp into rings.
3. Place the rings on a baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar (1 tbsp.). Put in the oven to caramelize, select the "Grill" mode. Five to ten minutes each side.
4. Then let the pineapple cool, cut into cubes.
5. Prepare the dressing. To do this, mix olive oil with garlic cloves. Then add lemon juice, cumin, s alt and pepper. Use half of the resulting liquid to fill the salad from the refrigerator.



6. Peel the avocado and cut into cubes.
7. Assemble the dish. First, lay out a pillow of watercress with dressing. Lay avocado, pineapple on top, after mixing these fruits with dressing. Top with thin half rings of red onion.

Conclusion

Now you know what Cuban cuisine is. The recipes with photos presented in the article will help you prepare such dishes. With the resulting dishes, you can please your loved ones.